Fire-escape



Arrow/EVS.

J. B. STOTT. FIRE ESCAPE Patented Nov. 29, 1892.

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W/TNESSES.'

.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JONATHAN B. STOTT, OF AURORA, SOUTH DAKOTA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,135, dated November 29, 1892. Application filed May 25, 1892. Serial No. 434,275. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN B. STOTT, of Aurora, in the county of Brookings and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved fire-escape which is simple and durable in constructiomvery effective in operation, and arranged to permit a person to safely and conveniently descend from a building.

The invention consists, principally, of a casing provided with a fixed block, over which passes a rope, and a clamping-plate pivoted in the box and formed with flanges for pressing the rope in contact with the said block.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view of the improvement, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the improvement with the cover of the casing removed.

The improved fire-escape is provided with a suitably constructed box or casing A, through the top A and the bottom A2 of which passes a rope B, attached at its upper end to a ring or other support held on the building, preferably on the outside thereof, so that the rope with the box or casing A attached hangs down on the outside of the building and within convenient reach of a person at the window of the building.

On the ends of the box or casing A are arranged eyes D for attachment of a supporting device D of any approved construction and arranged to conveniently support the person desiring to descend on the rope B with the casing A. As shown in Fig. l, the supporting device consists of a belt D2 and two straps D3 and D4, connected with the front and rear of the belt and attached to a set of eyes on either top or bottom of the box or casing A. Within the box or casing is arranged a V-shaped block E, over the edges of which is adapted to pass the rope B, the latter being clamped or pressed in contact with either of the edges of the V- shaped block by means of flanges F and F2, formed on a plate F, pivoted at F3 within the casing A and provided with a handle F4, extending outwardly through an opening A3 in one side of the casing A. It will be seen that a passage-Way for the rope B is formed between the edges of the block E and the flanges F and F2 of the plate F. Now when the operator presses the handle F4 downward the upper flange F moves the rope toward the upper edge of the V-shaped block E to clamp the latter between this upper edge and the flange. In this ease the lower liange F2swings outward away from the lower edge of the V- shaped block E, so that the rope is comparatively free in the lower half of the casing. (See dotted lines in Fig. 2.) When, however, the handle F4 is moved upward, then the ange F2 does the clamping of the rope on the lower edge of the V-shaped block E, while the upper part of the rope is comparatively free between the upper edge of the block E and the flange F.

As shown in Fig. 2, the flanges F and F2 stand at an obtuse angle to each other containing more degrees than the angle on the V-shaped block E. The openings in the ends A and A2 for the passage of the rope B are slightly enlarged at the inner end of the said openings, so as to permit the rope to pass readily over the ends of the flanges F and F2 to the said openings.

In order to use the device the person attaches the support D on his body and takes hold of the handle F4, pressing the same slightly, so as to loosen the rope. The weight of the person on the casing A causes clamping of the rope B between the upper edge of the block E and flange F. It will be seen that'by this clamping of the rope B sufficient friction is obtained to prevent the casing A, with the person attached to it, from sliding too rapidly down on the rope B, it being fully under the control of the operator to increase or diminish the speed of the descent. For this purpose the operator manipulates the handle F4, so as to clamp the rope more or less tightly in the casing A, as above described.

It will further be seen that the device is composed of but few parts, is always ready for use, and is not liable to get ont of order.

ICO

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentv l. A fire-escape comprising a casing having openings for the passage of a rope, a fixed block secured in the casing and having tWo edges, against which the rope is adapted to be pressed, and a clamping-plate pivoted in the casing and adapted to press 'the rope upon either edge of the said block, substantially as described.

2. A fire-escape comprising a casing having openings for the passage of a ropel therethrough, a fixed V-shaped block secured in the casing, and a clamping-plate provided with fianges for clamping the rope upon either edge of the said block and with an operatinghandle, substantially as described.

3. A fire-escape comprising a casing having zo openings in its ends, a fixed V-shaped block secured in the casing, clamping-plate pivoted in the casing and provided with angular flanges and With an operating-handle proj ecting through the casing, and a rope adapted to pass through the casing between the flanges of the clamping-plate and the V-shaped block, substantially as described.

4:. A fireeseape consisting of a casing having openings in its ends, a fixed V shaped block in the easing, a pivot-ed clamping-plate having angular flanges and provided with a handle projecting through the casing, a rope, and a supporting device secured to the easing, substantially as herein shown and described.

JONATHAN B. STOTT.

Vitnesses:

WM. FROTHINGER, M. M. SMITH. 

